1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning device for removing residual toner from the image-carrying member, after the step of transferring a toner image, in a transfer-type electrostatic copying method, and more particularly to such a cleaning device including an elastic scraper blade having a proximal end fixed to a blade holder and a terminal end held in contact with the image-carrying member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a prior art arrangement, residual toner after a toner image has been transferred can be removed from an image-carrying member by a scraper blade pressed against a circumferential surface of the image-carrying member. The stronger the force with which the scraper blade is held in contact with the image-carrying member, the greater the reliability of toner removal, but the more the tendency for the image-carrying member to become damaged by the scraper blade. No prior art arrangement has been successful in fully solving such a contradictory problem.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for an image-carrying member for reliably removing residual toner from an image-carrying member without damaging the latter.